In big setback for ruling BJP, newly-formed TIPRA sweeps Tripura tribal council polls
Agartala, Apr 10: The newly-formed TIPRA, led by former state Congress president Pradyot Kishore Deb Barman, swept the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections on Saturday, winning 18 of the 28 seats that went to the polls, official sources said.
The Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) secured 18 seats, the BJP won nine seats and one seat was bagged by an Independent candidate, they said.
In the 30-member tribal council, elections were held in 28 seats on Tuesday. Representatives in the remaining two seats will be nominated by the governor on the advice of the state government.
The TTAADC area is two-third of the state territory, and is the home to the tribals, who constitute one-third of Tripura's population.
Deb Barman urged his supporters to maintain peace as celebrations broke out with the newly-formed party getting an absolute majority in the elections.
"We have to maintain unity. I appeal to the people to refrain from attacking the party office and houses of the supporters of IPFT, BJP, CPI(M) and Congress. They too are our people and we do not want to fight among ourselves. If we want unity then we have to maintain peace. They too will join our party after the elections," he said.
A victory rally will be organised on Monday at the tribal council headquarters in Khumulwung, about 25 km from Agartala, Deb Barman announced.
"Do not fight among yourself, this has continued for 70 years and let the whole India see how Tipraha maintains unity even after winning the election," he told his supporters.
Deb Barman, who was the state unit president of Congress, quit the party in September 2019, citing differences with the high command.
A month later, he announced the name of his new outfit -- TIPRA, which was initially a social organisation but in 2020, was turned into a political party.
CPI(M) leader Radhacharan Debbarma said it was the victory of the people.
"We accept that we lost this election. Why we have lost the election will be discussed and reviewed later by the party. But at present, we can say that it is the victory of the people," he said.
"People made a promise to each other that they want to defeat the present government, which is what we believe was responsible for the defeat of the BJP," said Debbarma, the former chief executive member (CEM) of the TTADC.
The CPI(M)-led Left Front, which governed the TTAADC for the last twenty years before the April 6 elections, could not win a single seat.
The elections were largely being seen as a bipolar contest between Deb Barman's new party and the BJP-IPFT alliance, while the Left Front, which is yet to recover from its defeat in the state elections in 2018, being considered a fringe player.
BJP state spokesperson Subrata Chakraborty said that the party contested in 14 seats and won in nine.
The Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), the ally of the ruling BJP in the state, which contested in 17 seats also could not win in a single seat.
The Congress fielded candidates in all the seats but also drew a blank.
Former chief minister Samir Ranjan Barman congratulated Deb Barman and his party for the landslide victory.
"This is the beginning of the end of the BJP rule in Tripura," the veteran Congressman said.
As @PradyotManikya-led TIPRA scripts history in Tripura today by sweeping the tribal council elections; here's a small video on how the campaign trail has been, over the weeks. The royal scion constantly asks the locals to stay united to defeat the @BJP4Tripura or @INCTripura! ? pic.twitter.com/4hBikwjuR3
— Ratnadip Choudhury (@RatnadipC) April 10, 2021
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Akeal Hosein bosses powerplay overs with 'skill and mental fortitude'
New Delhi (PTI): For a spinner who bowls majority of his overs in the powerplay, Chennai Super Kings' West Indian import Akeal Hosein relies as much on mental fortitude as his skills to excel in the most unforgiving phase of the game.
With just two fielders in the deep in the first six overs, the margin for error is miniscule and the pressure is sky high.
However, Hosein thrives in that tense environment. The left-arm spinner returned with frugal figures of 3-0-15-1 in the powerplay to play a crucial role in his team's eight-wicket win over Delhi Capitals in an IPL match here on Tuesday.
"You need both of them (skill and mental toughness). Especially when you come upon pitches that aren't conducive to spin and it's just about being disciplined as well," he said.
"Having two fielders out in the power play. It's not a job that you can go searching for wickets or you can be too greedy. It's just about sticking to the plan," he explained.
Hosein got the all-important wicket of an in-form K L Rahul, who was foxed by the West Indian as he stepped out to smash him for an inside out six.
Hosein's inclusion in the playing eleven after not being picked in the initial phase of the tournament has allowed CSK to win more games. On Tuesday, the pitch offered him a bit of help and he ended up dominating the batters.
After the win over DC, Hosein was asked about his recipe for success in the powerplay.
"...it's a bit scripted because you only have two guys out so it's just about being disciplined and trying to do the job for the team. At the end of the day if you don't get wickets and you bowl economically in the power play, that's a damn good job you've done for the team," said Hosein.
He has taken seven wickets in five games at an impressive economy rate of 7.25.
Fully aware that the batter is a mere couple of hits away from putting the pressure back on him, Hosein says practising for high-pressure situations helps him stay in the present.
"I think homework is very important. You want to have that head-start when you come up against whichever batter you're going to face. And like I say it's just about making assessments as quickly as possible.
"You might come up on a pitch that is spinning. You might come up against one that isn't spinning. Thankfully I can spin the ball. So it's just about picking which deliveries will give you the most success on a particular day and against a particular batter," said Hosein.
He got rid of Rahul first ball from the other end, something that was decided by captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. Post powerplay, Noor Ahmad took over the mantle from Hosein and maintained the pressure on DC batters.
"Getting the opportunity to bowl first for me is just about again making that assessment as quickly as possible and then passing on that information to Noor or even to the seamers as well if it was a bit of spin or if it's gripping or whatever the case is.
"So conversations with myself and Noor have been fantastic. Really happy for him that he's getting some success," he added.
